You Can't Stop The Beat
by mitewhimsical
Summary: Basically this is just a little Trink fic about what happens when the cameras stop rolling. I hope you enjoy it, please read and review if you get the chance! chapter 9 now up xoxo
1. Chapter 1

Hearing the closing bars of "You Can't Stop The Beat" pounding in his ears, Link's pulse quickened as he found himself face to face with those beautiful brown eyes. Looking into them, and encouraged by Tracy's huge grin, he swallowed any fears that had been rising in his throat and leaned down to plant a soft kiss on her lips. Immediately, he knew it had been the right thing to do. As Tracy responded enthusiastically and wrapped her arms around him Link did the same, feeling so warm and comforted that he was afraid of the moment that they would have to break away from each other.

Unfortunately that moment had to come, and Tracy slowly pulled her lips away from his and looked up at him adoringly, leaving Link with a soaring sensation in his stomach. He gripped his girl even more tightly and swooped in again for another kiss.

As she tentatively pushed his lips with her tongue, Link opened his mouth and Tracy's dream of french-kissing her idol came true. Except it was better than she could ever have imagined, due to what happened in the next few seconds. The beautiful boy whose lips were fixed to hers tilted his head back and broke away, smiling like he had just won the lottery.

"Y'know Trace, I love you … I feel more for you now than I ever felt for Amber in two whole years. And I hope that you feel the same way."

Those eyes which had dazzled their way into the hearts of the entire female teenage population of Baltimore from that black and white TV screen now shone down upon Tracy, begging her to reciprocate.

This was no problem for Tracy who, not really believing what was happening, beamed back and said "of course I love you Link … I've always loved you, you know that!".

As they kissed again happily, they were quickly alerted to their whereabouts by a swift and short throat-clearing. Breaking away from each other, they both looked up innocently, seeming to have forgotten where they had been standing. A pink tinge spreading across her cheeks, Tracy spotted the bright red light atop the studio cameras illustrating the fact that they were still on the air. Link remained unperturbed, however, and grabbed Tracy's hand tightly before waving at the cameras and shouting:

"Goodnight, folks! Hope you enjoyed the show!"

With that, he led Tracy off the stage and they ran, giddy with excitement, to the parking lot where his shining black Chevrolet was waiting for them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys, thanks so much for the reviews, hope you like this new chapter :D Peace xoxo**

Laughing so hard that her stomach was beginning to ache, Tracy managed to splutter,

"Link, we're gonna be in so much trouble tomorrow! I don't think Corny'll mind, but Mrs Von Tussle …."

"Trace, that old crone's been fired!"

Tracy's eyes widened in shock.

"What?!"

"You mean you missed that? Honestly, Trace, sometimes … anyway, your mom caught Velma on camera telling Amber that she'd switched the tallies for the Miss Teenage Hairspray competition!"

Tracy smiled broadly thinking of her mom – finally she had managed to stand up to that awful woman!

Link opened the passenger door for his girl and then strolled round to the other side to slide into the driving seat. Once the doors were firmly shut, he gently leaned over, took Tracy's face in both hands and whispered, "Thank you, Tracy Turnblad" before slowly kissing her.

"You've made me a better person Trace. I don't care how clichéd that sounds … over the past few weeks, and I'm still not quite sure how, you've brought me out of myself. I used to be a superficial mess. Now I have you!" He grinned and Tracy grinned back.

Her mind was racing so fast that she just did the first thing that popped into her head – she practically attacked him, in a good way, with the most passionate kiss Link had ever experienced, with neither of them coming up for air for several minutes.

Link looked deep into her eyes.

"Come on, Trace – let's get going. I'm kind of hungry."

As they set off, Link realised how dangerous his driving would be tonight – every possible second he had to spare he turned his head to look at Tracy, who would always meet his gaze faithfully and beam at him.

Before too long, they had pulled up outside Link's favourite diner, which he couldn't wait to show Tracy. The only downside was that it kind of reminded him of Amber … what delightful memories … usually her yelling at him for not making her look good on Corny's show, or for getting annoyed at her winking at another guy. At the time, Link had wanted to do everything to please her, to make sure that she didn't dump him like she had all the other guys. Only now he could see that she was solely interested in him because he was the best dancer on the show with the brightest future – and the highest earning potential. The more he thought about it, the more Amber appeared to be exactly like her scheming mother, who had disposed of her millionaire husband practically as soon as they had been married. 'Accidentally suffocated', _my ass._

Link pushed open the front door tinkling the little bell and strolled over to his favourite booth in the corner, proudly holding Tracy on his arm.

Ordering a cheeseburger and milkshake each the pair couldn't keep their eyes off each other the entire time, with Tracy raising her eyebrow every once in a while as Link's foot found her own, sending a tingle right up to her racing heart.

The electricity was so palpable between them that as soon as they had paid the check and left the place they literally couldn't keep their hands off of each other, almost making out in the street for the world (well, for the Baltimore housewives, anyway) to see.

Tracy checked her watch.

"Link, I'd better be heading home … you know how my ma worries!"

This was something Link had experienced firsthand yesterday watching Edna Turnblad wear out the floorboards in her lounge, pacing up and down as the manhunt for Tracy continued after her little stunt with the police office.

Thinking back to it now made him chuckle, and a little smile creased up his lips.

"What? What are you thinking of?"

Link paused.

"You, Trace – only you."

They shared a quiet moment, just looking at each other, searching each others' faces, and both grinning at what they saw.

"Come on then, my little girl, let's get you home!"

Outside Tracy's modest front door Link stood on the step below her so that they were, for once, at the same height, and kissed her goodnight, not wanting to watch her walk away from him.

"Trace, I'll pick you up tomorrow – around 8am?"

"Sure!" Tracy paused and pouted. "I don't wanna have to let you go tonight, Link!"

She blew him a kiss, and he caught it in his palm. She giggled at his cheesiness and said goodnight, closing the front door behind her. He waited for several minutes before getting back into the car, watching all the lights in the house go out.

"Sleep tight Ms Turnblad", he whispered. He sure couldn't wait for tomorrow.

**A/N I realise that nothing much has really happened so far in my stories, but I just love writing anything about Tracy and Link so sometimes I forget to give it any kind of plot.**

**I promise next time there'll be some proper structure. Suggestions are totally welcome – what would you guys like to see?**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N **

**Again, there's very little plot, but as I say, I'm just taking things slowly and seeing where the story goes. Hope you enjoy it guys, please review for me if you can! Love xoxo**

When Edna Turnblad went to wake Tracy up the next day at 7am she found her daughter sitting fully dressed and ready for school on the edge of her bed staring into space.

"Tracy? Hon?"

Tracy's glazed eyes flickered and focused on her mother standing in the doorway.

"Oh .. ma! Sorry, I just woke up a little early this morning. Couldn't sleep properly …"

She blushed.

"Tracy Turnblad, this wouldn't have anything to do with that nice young man you were cosied up to last night would it?"

Edna chuckled as Tracy's face turned even rosier.

"Yeah, kinda … Ma, Link makes me so happy I can barely stand it! It's like I've been waiting for him my whole life!"

Listening to Tracy rant on about the love of her life, Edna couldn't help but smile at her daughter's dramatic nature. But what she was saying was the truth … Ever since Tracy had turned The Corny Collins Show on three years ago she had been determined to get Link to notice her. Edna felt she had to admire Tracy's guts and stubbornness, but she was finding it hard to get over her own insecurities and believe that Link, the most popular and adored boy in school, was in love with her little girl, even though she scolded herself for even thinking such a thing.

"What time is this crooner coming to fetch you then?"

"8am! Oh ma, you'll love him. He's perfect!"

"Well Tracy hon, I'm glad you're so happy. Just watch out for yourself, 'kay?"

Tracy rolled her eyes and skipped down the stairs to turn on the television set, leaving her mother fussing over her bedspread and neatening up her room.

_Honestly,_ she thought, _anyone would think my mother wasn't happy to see me together at last with my dream guy!_

Her thoughts turning back to Link, Tracy quickly whiled away another forty five minutes simply staring at the ceiling and re-living last night. That kiss; the way his arms had clutched her tightly; his heart-melting wink as he waved goodnight to the cameras. Everything about him made her feel unsteady on her feet, as if she literally had gone weak at the knees.

She was shaken out of her dreamy reverie by the sweetest sound in the world – the honk of the horn of Link's chevy. Looking out of the window she was not disappointed, and grinned back at him as she shouted "bye" to her mother and bounced out of the front door and into the passenger seat. Greeted with a lingering soft kiss, Tracy felt her entire being well up with joy and she almost punched the air with excitement as they pulled out and drove slowly towards the school.

Outside the gates, Link turned and smiled and said "Meet you by your locker, morning break?"

"I'll be there." This time it was Tracy's turn to give a cheeky wink. "See you later!"

And with that she was gone, running across to Penny whom she had spotted saying a similar goodbye to Seaweed – saying it as though it would be their last, holding the other's hand until the very last minute, until it was absolutely necessary to let go, but all the while keeping their eyes fixed on each other.

As the bell rang, the girls ran giggling to the classroom, leaving the boys to watch them go, giving each other a shrug as they parted which said "What can we do? We got it bad!"

Damn. Tracy had momentarily forgotten about Amber, and did her best to avoid the inevitable icy blue-eyed gaze as she sauntered into the classroom. Finally looking up, she was shocked to see that Amber hadn't even been looking at her, but at one of Seaweed's friends who had been walking behind them in the corridor. The boy quickly ran in and gave Amber a peck on the cheek before smiling as he strolled back out along to whichever mind-numbing class he was due in.

Tracy literally couldn't stop her mouth from gaping open as she witnessed this somewhat touching little set-up, before turning to Penny and shrugging. Perhaps Amber really had changed.

However she then heard a horrible familiar shrill voice.

"Have a nice evening, Tracy? I hope Link wasn't too cross when he woke up after you drugged him."

Perhaps not.

Whilst Amber's racist views had been eradicated, her hatred of size sixteen obviously had not.

Tracy rolled her eyes as Amber's faithful group of candy-coloured girlfriends tittered, and she shuffled over to her seat before getting out her books.

"She's just embarrassed to admit that it's the truth, girls. Seriously, why else would Link have ever even gone near that … thing?"

Despite the overwhelming urge that Tracy felt to either cry or to stand up and slap Amber's pretty little pointed face, she knew deep inside that Link was with her because he wanted to be. He was the one who had kissed her, and he was the one who had first said 'I Love You'.

_Ugh_, she shuddered to herself, _why am I even justifying it? It's plain to see that Amber's just jealous._

When Amber saw that she wasn't going to get a reaction, she pouted her little pastel-pink frosted lips and sat back down. But before she went back to spilling the juiciest gossip to the small crowd gathered around her desk, Amber threw in one last taunt for good luck.

"Oh, and I just thought you'd like to know, Link's pretty much only interested in you for one thing – the one thing that I didn't give him. I mean, I can see his logic – you'll almost definitely put out; it's not like you've got a ton of offers flooding in" she finished with a nasty giggle.

This hit too close to home for Tracy to bear it. Remaining composed throughout, she calmly wiped away an oncoming tear as she collected her things and left the room, waiting until she reached a cubicle in the ladies' room before opening the floodgates.

What if it was true? Link had certainly been … enthusiastic, shall we say, when they had been kissing the previous night. But if he thought … if he thought that she would …

Blotting the running mascara underneath her eyes with a wad of rough school toilet tissue, Tracy took a hold of herself and left the lavatories, sniffing slightly as she walked. Turning the corner she was confronted by the very face she didn't want to see – a pair of blue eyes just as dazzling as Amber's, but one hundred times more disarming.

"Link, I've gotta go … I'll see you at the end of school, ok?"

She hurried off, as Link stared in disbelief. Was she crying? He couldn't understand what had happened in the half-hour since they had said goodbye that had turned the gorgeous bubbly Tracy that he loved so much into a tearful, fragile little girl. All he knew was that he needed to go and take care of her, and so he sprinted up the corridor to catch up, reaching out and grabbing her in a huge hug and kissing her forehead.

"Trace, what's up, doll?"


	4. Chapter 4

Feeling the protection of Link's arms around her shoulders and his chin resting cutely on the top of her head, Tracy realised that she was safe with him; there was no need to hide what she was feeling.

However due to the fact that they had recently developed into a minor celebrity couple at their high school, Tracy and Link had been pursued down the corridor by a small group which had developed into a fairly large crowd, hanging onto every word. As much as she needed to talk to Link, Tracy didn't really feel like sharing what she had to say with her biology class at morning break.

Turning around to plant a small kiss on his cheek and grabbing his hand to quickly squeeze it, Tracy looked into Link's eyes and told him to pick her up at the gates after school. He knew from the way she had looked at him that she wasn't mad, but he wish he could find out the source of those tears – and get rid of it.

Little did he know that source was presently tapping him on the shoulder.

"Link, sweetie- "

He would have known that squeak anywhere. Spinning around he gave an exasperated sigh and waved his hand in her face before walking in the opposite direction.

"Listen, Amber, I really can't talk right now – I have … I kind of have stuff to do, ok?"

His former girlfriend smiled sweetly, and when she spoke again, her tongue might as well have been sugar-coated.

"Alright, but I just thought you'd be interested in what I had to say. It really upset Tracy, huh?"

Hearing her name mentioned so casually by Amber made Link's blood begin to simmer, if not yet boil. He turned around again, frustration etched all over his face.

"What? What upset Tracy?"

She shrugged and managed to exclaim, "You don't already know? Well, I thought she would have at least- " before Link cut her off once more and grabbed her shoulders in his hands.

"Amber, get to the point."

After a few sighs of mock indignation, Amber relented.

"Well, all I heard was that Tracy was more than a little heart-broken when her best friend – you know, the one with those awful bangs and curls – well, let's just say Tracy wasn't exactly pleased when she hooked up with that guy Seaweed. I mean, it's common knowledge that Tracy had the hugest crush on him – I think it was seeing them kissing this morning that tipped her over the edge …" She gave a little smirk.

For one moment which severely embarrassed him when he considered it afterwards, a little shard of doubt pierced Link's consciousness and he actually came close to believing that what Amber had said was true. However, his common sense won out and, shaking his head quickly in an attempt to shake off what he had just been thinking, Link fixed Amber with a cool glare.

"Amber, no matter what you say, I will never, EVER take your word over Tracy's."

Now it was his turn to smirk.

"Or anyone else's for that matter."

With that he turned on his heel, leaving Amber with her mouth gaping open in a rather un-ladylike fashion. However she was soon distracted from her little games by the appearance of her current boyfriend.

_Ah well_. She thought. _It's not like Link and I were serious. It's just too bad that he's so damn cute…_

On the final ring of the school bell, Tracy wandered aimlessly out to the front of school, not even cheered up by the thought of seeing Link. Even though she had told herself countless times that Amber's vicious words meant nothing and that they were only spawned by jealousy, Tracy hadn't been able to help that last nasty chuckle from circling her brain all day.

Hearing that cute little tooting of the horn, Tracy trotted over and slumped into the passenger seat, looking dazedly ahead through the windshield before saying a muffled "Hi" to Link who was anxiously scanning her face with those blue eyes which were so famous throughout Baltimore households.

"What's up, Link? Aren't we going?" Tracy questioned.

"Sure, ok. But I'm not taking you home just yet."

Tracy looked puzzled.

"Don't worry – nothing sinister!" Link chuckled.

They reached a parking spot down by the water and Tracy sighed before saying,

"Ok. I guess you wanted to know what was going on this morning."

Link paused before speaking with a slow smile.

"Uh … it crossed my mind, yeah. I hated seeing you so upset, without knowing what to do to make it right."

She clutched his hand.

"Well the truth is Link … god, you're going to think I'm so stupid … what happened was …"

Link nodded in encouragement as Tracy finally finished the sentence.

"It was something that Amber said."

She looked up at him, half expecting him to be laughing at her. However, he looked solemn, remembering the split second earlier that day when he had been in pretty much the same situation.

"What was it, doll?"

"The basic gist of what she said was that … was that you were only with me for sex. That you had picked me because I would be 'easy'"

Link couldn't have looked more shocked at what she had said. Whilst of course he thought about sex, being as he was a teenage boy, lately it hadn't occupied his mind so much. He and Tracy connected in every way. The last couple of weeks with her – before, of course, they had officially become an item – had been just like hanging out with his best friend … albeit a best friend that he loved french-kissing …

He blushed a little at the thought and Tracy giggled at the look on his face.

"Link Larkin, I never realised you were such a prude! I'll be careful never to mention" – she whispered this part – "_sex_ again!"

"On a more serious note," Link began, laughing a little under his breath at the idea of him being a prude, "I hope you realise, Trace, that what Amber was saying was completely untrue …. God, she makes me so mad! That vindictive little …"

Tracy wrapped her palms around Link's fists which had begun to clench up.

"Hon, it doesn't matter. Sure, what she said upset me, but the more I think about it, the more I realise she was just jealous."

Link muttered something under his breath and rolled his eyes, and Tracy scrunched up her nose in bewilderment.

"What did you say?"

He looked her in the eye and said, "All I was going to say was that Amber probably only said those things to you to try and get back at me."

He paused, his cheeks becoming adorably flushed.

"Trace – when we were together, Amber was very … well, she was very _full-on_ if you get what I mean. In fact if I hadn't have stopped her, we might very well have had sex together."

Tracy snorted.

"Link, I cannot believe that you spent two years with Amber, having given her your ring, and not slept with the girl!"

Catching a glimpse of the serious look on his face, Tracy realised that it wasn't a joke.

"What … so, you never … you never did?"

He shook his head.

"She always wanted to, but it just didn't feel right, especially when it would have been so easy. That probably makes me sound pretty girly … All guys should want sex, right, no matter who it's with?"

Tracy couldn't believe her luck – she could now add 'strong sense of morality' to Link's ever-growing list of perfect qualities that she was totting up in her head.

"Link, I think it's great that you didn't do it with Amber. Really, I do. Besides, I'm not sure I'd want you if that plastic little spastic had been there first!"

Link noticed a wicked little glint in her eye and grinned.

"Oh, Ms Turnblad … so I suppose you're saying that you _do_ want me?"

She replied in a sing-song voice.

"Hmm, I guess we'll just have to wait and see …"

As he kissed her intensely his hands found their way up her blouse, and Tracy murmured in Link's ear,

"Link Larkin, what kind of girl do you think I am?!"

**A/N Sorry this has taken so long guys … I was away for a couple of days and then came back to find that my internet connection was totally non-existent.screws up face in anger Don't you just **_**love**_** computers …. **

**Anyway, this could be the last for a couple more weeks cos I'm off on holiday on Wednesday. Don't give up on me though, I'll write tons more chapters while I'm away and upload them quickly once I get back. Once again thank you all so much for the positive feedback – keep those reviews coming!**

**And now I'll shut up because I know there's nothing **_**I**_** hate more than overly-long and rambling author's notes…..**


	5. Chapter 5

The science labs were not where Tracy wanted to be spending her Friday afternoon, but she glumly decided that it seemed like she had little choice in the matter and shuffled along, taking her time. At least Link was in science class with her. Even though he sat separately from her on the row in front, Tracy sometimes thought this was a better deal as she could shamelessly stare at his backside for the entire lesson.

Settling herself down with her various books and folders, she let a huge smile spread itself across her face as she caught sight of Link out of the corner of her eye, and he grinned and winked back, gesturing that she should meet him by his locker after class.

_That's funny,_ she thought. _Wonder why we're not meeting outside as usual?_

She shrugged it off. Obviously Link just needed some books for homework or something.

Class started, with the teacher droning ineffectually in front of the board whilst half the class unashamedly dropped their heads to the desks as they fell asleep.

After the bell rang signalling the end of school, Tracy groaned as she wrote down yet another school assignment in her diary, then packed her stuff away and strolled down the corridor to Link's locker. Seeing that he wasn't there yet, she leaned against it and looked at her watch. Ten minutes late already, and they had been in the same room! What was taking him so long? After another five minutes of waiting, Tracy figured that maybe she had read the gesture wrong and decided to see if he was waiting by _her_ locker. As she leant away from Link's locker, she heard a piece of paper fall behind her, and saw a little note which had obviously been taped to the metal door.

Tracy opened it with excitement … maybe it would be a secret love letter, or the start of some kind of treasure hunt! However, her heart dropped when she saw what was written before her:

"_Trace, sorry babe but I had to run. Hope you're not mad. See you tomorrow though, right? I'll be at your house at noon. Link xx"_

Tracy didn't want to be mad, but she could feel herself beginning to get worked up. Why was he so damn casual all the time? And what was so important that he couldn't give her a quick ride home? In the time it had taken him to write this note he could probably have dropped her off. Tracy had never known Link to be busy on a Friday night ... it was usually the night they went out and had pizza or burgers in town and went to the movies.

Damn! She suddenly realised that she had spent so much time waiting like a fool by his locker that she had probably missed the bus home. Great. Just great …

Tracy picked up her stuff and grudgingly started to make her way out of school, getting increasingly annoyed by the heavy pile of stuff she was carrying which just wouldn't seem to stay in her arms. Just as she got outside the gates, her hands collapsed under the stack of books and she was left staring at a heap at her feet. Tracy sighed. This_ really_ wasn't how she wanted to start her weekend. It was obviously going to be a long walk home …

She went straight up to her room when she got in, ignoring her mother's constant questions about where she had been, and locked the door firmly behind her, trying to shut out the annoyance that she still felt at Link, even though he had barely done anything wrong. Speaking of Link … Tracy thought she was imagining things, but she was sure she had just heard the little toot of Link's Chevy. Rushing to the window, she looked out, scanning the road.

Sure enough, there he was, speeding down the road beeping at some guy who had run out in front of him. Tracy could not have been more confused. Where was he going? His house was in the opposite direction. Cementing her bad mood even further, Tracy saw that he had someone else in the car with him. Someone dressed in pink!! Although Tracy couldn't see the person's face, she was quite certain that it was a girl.

She groaned and slouched down on her bed.

Well, there was nothing she could do about it – she'd just have to bring it up when she saw him tomorrow. But things had been going so well … why would he do this? She couldn't fathom it at all.

Tracy wasn't the only one confused; her parents couldn't hide their puzzlement when their daughter refused dinner and announced that she was going to bed at 8pm. Edna thought it was probably nothing. Tracy had always had a tendency for dramatics … most likely, it would blow over soon enough.

Tracy was woken from a fitful sleep by the ring of the doorbell at around nine, and tried to stop herself from getting too hopeful … it won't be Link, it just won't be …

However, the voice she heard in the hallway proved otherwise.

"She's in bed? Oh ok, well this is kind of important … Would you mind asking her to come out to the car? I'm just parked round the corner."

Five minutes later after a frantic change out of her pyjamas, Tracy stumbled down the stairs and attempted to quash her mother's disapproving looks.

"Ma, I won't be long. I don't think break-ups generally take longer than ten minutes."

Edna opened her mouth in surprise. After what Link had told her while Tracy was in bed … How could her little girl have it so wrong?

_At least she'll get a nice surprise,_ she thought, and chuckled to herself at the idea of Tracy's face when she found out what was really going on.

Meanwhile, Tracy opened the car door and took a deep breath.

"It's ok Link, just get it over with. I don't mind that much. I guess I should have seen it coming."

Link looked about a trillion times more shocked than Tracy's mother had at the notions running through this girl's mind.

"Ok … what? Are you breaking up with me?!"

Tracy looked back at him, equally surprised.

"You mean, you _aren't_ breaking up with_ me_?"

"NO! What has gotten into you?!"

She protested, trying to stop a little tear rolling out of the corner of her eye.

"But, I saw you … I saw you in your car tonight, driving right past my house, with another girl. And after school when you didn't come I- "

He interrupted.

"Trace … this is kind of embarrassing … Trace, that was my MOM."

Now it was her turn to look sheepish.

"Oh. Well why were you driving your mom around instead of taking me out?!"

"You'll find out … Listen, I hate to keep you in the dark for so long, but is it ok if we just drive somewhere. You can tell your mom I won't keep you past an hour."

Tracy beamed. This was the Link she knew and loved.

As they set off, things got more mysterious still.

"Trace, close your eyes. I want it to be a total surprise. Close 'em! No peeking."

He smiled as he looked over at Tracy who had her eyes tightly scrunched shut, although kept trying to sneak a look at where they were going.

"Tracy Turnblad am I gonna have to drive with one hand over your eyes? No peeking!!"

She giggled and gave up, lying back in her seat and enjoying the feeling of just sitting and knowing that Link still loved her.

After what she guessed was about fifteen minutes, Tracy felt the car slide to a halt and Link opened his door, coming round to escort her out of the car.

"Don't open those eyes!"

"I'm not! You know, a little clue might be nice."

His hand gripped hers as she felt herself going through various doors and corridors until her felt tapped down on a hard, seemingly shiny surface. It felt like … a bit like a dance floor. She knew she had been to this place before but … where was she?

"Link this is really killing me, can I just- "

She heard the sound of lights being turned on and then Link's voice, echoing slightly.

"Ok, Trace … open your eyes."

**A/N Hey guys, have you missed me? I'm guessing not, but I hope some of you will still read this chapter, and I again apologise for the long delay. ****Hope you enjoy this chapter … more to follow shortly, maybe even tonight if I'm feeling generous ….**


	6. Chapter 6

As soon as she opened her eyes Tracy's senses were flooded with a wash of mint green and bright lights and she knew exactly where she was. But why had Link brought her to the television station? They spent most of their time there as it was, and although the room had once excited her, it was now such a permanent feature of her life that Tracy considered the long hours that she spent there to be almost mundane.

"Link, what's going on? Why are we-"

He placed a finger on her lips.

"Shh. Let me just say my piece, and then you can ask me anything you want to."

He grinned infectiously and Tracy returned the smile.

"Trace, the time I've spent with you in this studio have been the best. Truly, I don't know how to say it properly …"

He blushed faintly, eyes flitting across the room as he tried to figure out what he should say next.

"In this studio I've sung dozens of love songs … about wanting my girl and being hers forever. Well, when I saw you that day – at the Miss Teenage Hairspray pageant – walking across that stage … well, I … I only fully realised the meaning of what I've been singing and dancing about for all these years."

Link looked up earnestly before shaking his head and waving his hands wildly.

"No, no, no, that was insanely corny. Forget that. Well, don't forget it, I mean, I still meant what I- "

Tracy laughed loudly.

"Link, it was _beyond_ corny! But … I understand. I think I get what you were trying to say, and … it was nice."

She beamed at him. He clasped both her hands and for the first time in the months that they had been seeing each other Tracy felt Link's hand begin to get a little clammy.

"Well … I love you, Tracy. You know that. But I just wanted to bring you here because it was here that I realised that I always wanted to be with you. When I kissed you that night, it was like nothing I'd ever done before, nothing I'd ever experienced …"

He looked shy again, and continued with his voice lowered.

"… and I hope that you feel the same way. Because I have something I wanted to give you. Just one more surprise – I promise! Shut your eyes!"

Tracy obliged as she felt Link move in closer, until she felt his nose brush her own and his breath on her cheek. Suddenly she felt something cold drop around her neck, and instinctively moved her hand to feel what it was.

"Open 'em, doll …"

She did so and looked down at her necklace. Alongside the silver music note pendant that her parents had given her, Link had slipped a delicate little heart onto the chain.

"Link, it's beautiful!"

"Thanks … that's why I was kind of embarrassed though – I had to take my mom to the store to get it. I described what I wanted to get for you and she said she'd seen the perfect little heart at work yesterday."

Tracy looked puzzled.

"At work?"

"Yeah, she works – I'm sure I told you! – she works for Tiffany's. I know it's a long way to travel every day but she used to work there when she was living in New York and she says she couldn't ever leave."

Tracy couldn't think of anything else to say and just kept repeating herself.

"It's beautiful, Link, really. It's absolutely gorgeous," she breathed, running her fingers over it.

"It's white gold, and that - " he said pointing to a small stone set in the corner and looking especially proud of himself " – is a little diamond."

Tracy gasped. The amount of money he had spent on her was unthinkable. She couldn't even begin to contemplate paying him back. She felt guilty already, and Link could obviously see this.

"Trace … I wanted to get it for you because I love you. I thought it could be sorta like you wearing my ring … but nicer …" He smiled.

"Plus, Amber never gave it me back!"

Tracy playfully swatted him on the arm, but he caught her hand and held her tight in his own, looking caringly into her eyes.

They shared a soft, slow, deeply romantic kiss before he twirled her out and they began to dance under the bright lights of the studio.

Tracy then rolled her eyes at Link as she heard him begin to hum the opening bars of "It Takes Two" in her ear, but let him carry on because although it was unbelievably cheesy, it was the way Link was, and truthfully she did kinda love it.

"_They say it's a man's world, well that cannot be denied … but what good's a man's world without a woman by your side? And so I will wait until that moment you decide …"_

He carried on with the whole song as he slowly spun her around the dance floor, softly almost whispering the last line into her hair, the warm air vibrating around her eardrum and sending a chill right down her spine, something she had previously never thought happened in reality.

Link finished with a gentle kiss on her neck and they just moved back and forth in silence for the rest of the evening, forgetting the time and even where they were.

They were together, and that was all that mattered.


	7. Chapter 7

Tracy had often heard her mom saying that when one area of your life was going well, something always happened to make the rest of it fall apart. Today that was turning out to be truer than ever.

Last night had been perfect – Link had taken her home (albeit more than two hours late, much to Edna's vocal displeasure) after their date at the studio, and Tracy had fallen asleep clutching the little heart tightly in her palm. However, when she reached school she knew immediately that something was wrong.

For one thing, Penny wasn't there to meet her in homeroom.

_That's odd_, Tracy thought to herself. _Penny's mom would never let her take a day off school and it's not like Penny to cut class._

Whilst the teacher took the register, Tracy continued to wonder to herself where her best friend was – maybe Link would have heard from Seaweed by the time she saw him at break.

But when she met up with her boy by her locker, he was just as puzzled as she was – Seaweed was also nowhere to be found. Tracy, optimistic as she was, didn't see any reason to worry … she was just annoyed that Penny wasn't there so that she could tell her about last night and Link's gift (which, to Tracy's great delight, had triggered an undisguised open-mouthed stare from a certain Miss Von Tussle).

By lunchtime, Tracy decided that she would have to use the school's telephone to find out where her friend was – as much as she tried to hope for the best, her intuition told her there was more to the situation than she was thinking of. She tried to quieten down her racing heartbeat as she held the receiver to her ear and heard the ringing tone, Link standing anxiously beside her.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mrs Pingleton? It's Tracy here."

The note of displeasure in Prudy's voice was unmistakable.

"Oh, Tracy. Hello."

"Um… I was just wondering if Penny was at home; we've missed her today at school!"

"Penny is sick today. She has a bug, you know, it's been going around for a while. I'm sure it'll pass soon. I'll tell her you called."

And with that the conversation was over, sealed with a dull 'beep' on the end of the phone line.

Tracy furrowed her eyebrows and hung up. Link looked at her questioningly.

"She said Penny was sick and then just went. It was so weird."

"Did she say when she'd be back?"

"No, she didn't even say what was wrong with her."  
Tracy paused momentarily, obviously thinking of what to do next.

"Link, how long do we have left of lunch break?"

He checked his watch, slightly confused.

"Uh, about forty minutes. Why?"

"I want to go and check Penny's house, see if she's there. Something just doesn't seem right at all … would you mind taking me over there?"

He rolled his eyes and smiled.

"Would I mind? Huh, well let's see … Come on Trace, it's me!"

She gave a little giggle.

"I'll meet you in the car, Link; I just need to get some stuff first."

88888

When they arrived at Penny's house, Tracy suddenly realised that Prudy would realise something was up if she saw Link's car waiting outside her window.

"Link, can we drive round the back? If Penny's there she'll be able to let me in at her window like she did that night."

She grinned at the memory as Link did as he was told, as always, and took her round the back.

Climbing up, with as much difficulty as she had had previously, to look into Penny's window, Tracy saw that the bed was empty and neatly made and her suspicions were confirmed. Penny wasn't in that house – since the Miss Hairspray fiasco with Seaweed Penny was only allowed to leave the house for school, and when she was at home she was confined to her bedroom.

But why would Prudy lie? What could have happened that Tracy couldn't know about?

She gestured to Link to let him know that the window was empty and he looked equally confused.

Just before she began the long and troublesome climb down, Tracy saw a paper note half-tucked under Penny's pillow, the front hanging out with the word 'Tracy' written boldly on it.

_Wow, this just gets weirder and weirder, _Tracy thought.

Unfolding the note, she saw that it read:

_Trace,_

_I really hope you get this! Meet me at Seaweed's place straight after school. Bring Link if you want, I just need to talk to you._

_Love ya,_

_Penny xoxo_

**A/N Sorry this is quite short, but I'm totally bogged down with school and so on at the moment – hopefully will be able to post more really soon! Also keep the reviews coming, your comments really do mean an awful lot to me and the positive response I've had is part of the reason I've carried on writing. You guys are the best! Peace xoxo**


	8. Chapter 8

As much as it had killed her to do it, Tracy had gone back to school with Link and waited and fidgeted for the entire afternoon until the bell finally rang at half past three and she was able to rush to the car to get ready to go and meet Penny as the note had told her to.

"Come on Link, move it!" she pestered impatiently as he fumbled for the car keys in his pocket.

"I'm moving as fast as I can, doll! Really, just calm down! Everything will be fine, you'll see." He smiled at her, but Tracy wasn't in the mood to be reassured.

"How can you say that, Link? We have no idea. _Anything_ could have happened!"

She got into the car hastily and slammed the door shut, tapping her feet on the floor.

Link sighed and started up the engine.

"Listen hon, I _love_ that you are so concerned for Penny. I do. You're the greatest friend that girl will ever have!" He paused. "But you're getting _me_ all worked up now and I can't even think straight. Try to stop worrying, ok?"

Miraculously Tracy stopped squirming in her seat and turned to look at him seriously.

"Link. I CAN'T stop worrying. I just can't! Penny and Seaweed are my best friends – of course I want to know that they're ok!" She stopped suddenly and looked him in the eye. "It's ok to show that you're concerned for a friend, Link. Emotions do exist, you know – things happen. It's part of life." She went back to drumming her fingers on the bag nestled on her lap.

As he revved the engine and pulled out of the school parking lot Link stopped for a brief moment to consider what Tracy had just said, and realised that it was true … what came instinctively to her – worrying about a friend – was not how he naturally would have reacted.

_What's wrong with me?_ He wondered. _Why the hell do I try to keep things cool all the time … Tracy's right … it's not a crime to actually show that you're scared once in a while._

Oblivious to the minor epiphany her boyfriend was having in the driver's seat, Tracy continued to whine until he accelerated even more and they sped off down the street, reaching Seaweed's place in a matter of minutes, thanks to several ignored red lights.

Before the engine was even off Tracy had hopped out of the car and was bounding up to the door, her fist raised ready to knock it, but someone opened it before she had the chance.

It was Maybelle, her usually bright enthusiastic face drooping solemnly. However her eyes lit up a little when they saw who was standing in front of her.

"Oh, hey Tracy. Hi Link. Come on in, you two."

"Maybelle, where's Penny? I need to see her, she wasn't in school and she said-"

"Honey, she's here, don't worry. Why don't y'all just come on in and have a little something to eat?"

They both thanked her and Tracy hurried inside the house, followed by Maybelle and then Link bringing up the rear, looking anxiously around for any sign of Seaweed or Penny.

He walked into the lounge to a sad sight indeed – Tracy sitting on the couch holding a weeping Penny in her arms.

"Penny, what's going on? You had me so scared!!" She looked around and suddenly realised what was missing. "Where's Seaweed? Honey? What's happened?"

Penny shuddered as she tried to bring her sobs to a halt for long enough to breathlessly repeat her story.

"They, they …. It was horrible … they-"

Tears continued to roll down Penny's cheeks and Tracy squeezed her tightly.

She looked up at Maybelle in the hope of a more coherent and complete explanation.

Seaweed's mother sighed.

"Last night, Seaweed took Penny to the movies, and they were … they were attacked on their way home. Some boys from your school, I believe. Penny managed to get away and get help, but by then it was too late. They beat up my Seaweed so hard … he's in the hospital at the moment. Honey, he's in a coma."

Penny yelped and clasped Tracy's hand even more tightly. Link gasped softly and held his own hand up to his mouth in obvious shock, going over to put his arm around an obviously distressed Tracy.

She looked up questioningly at Maybelle.

"But … why?"

Maybelle took a deep breath.

"Because of his color. Because he's black. The boys were shouting at Penny for dating … for dating-" she swallowed then let out a long breath.

"They said she was dating 'scum'"

**A/N hey guys, hope you're not offended by what I've written in this post, but hopefully everyone reading realises that it's not me saying these things, I'm just reflecting the messages and themes of the movie. Anyway, please read and review, I'm loving the comments you leave, they're keeping me going at the moment!! Love and peace xoxo**


	9. Chapter 9

Tracy's heart fluttered up her windpipe and into her throat as they pulled up outside the hospital, and she gulped noticeably at the thought of having to see Seaweed in this awful state. Sitting in the back seat with Penny clutched in her arms, she caught Link's eye in the rear view mirror and saw that he was manfully trying to blink away a few little tears.

Maybelle turned around from the front seat and gently patted Penny's arm.

"Ok, sweetie. We're here now."

Penny sat up straight, obviously trying to strengthen herself for what was about to happen. She had already seen Seaweed that morning after he had had several tests run on him, but just a few minutes with him had caused her a complete breakdown into silent tears, trying but failing to maintain the hard exterior that her mother had always been trying to force upon her.

The four of them swept up to the fifteenth floor in the elevator, with the occasional sniffle from Penny breaking the despondent silence, and the 'ping' of the doors opening at their destination ringing harshly in all of their ears.

Maybelle led the way, with Tracy and Link following, Penny sandwiched between them with her arms hooked through the crooks of their elbows for extra support. Walking through the door into Seaweed's room, each one of them visibly recoiled, as much as they all tried to hide it, on seeing him lying practically lifeless hooked up to what looked like dozens of wires and tubes. Penny and Maybelle made straight for their boy, with Tracy and Link holding back as they grabbed each other's hands.

Penny once again just couldn't hold her tears back.

"Hey baby … how've you been?"

By this time Tracy was also crying with her head nuzzled into Link's shoulder as Maybelle looked down on the scene before her, the corners of her eyes beginning to leak.

Suddenly, Penny gasped and Tracy turned to see that Seaweed's eyelids were beginning to flicker, the bright whites of his eyes illuminated by the harsh hospital strip lighting.

He began to croak something, but Penny just smiled, put her finger to his lips and gave a soft little laugh before repeating what she had just said.

"Hey baby! How've you been?"

Everyone in the room chuckled a little, and Tracy went straight over to sit beside Seaweed, Link following closely behind her.

"Hey buddy. What's up?"

Seaweed managed a weak grin.

"Hey, it's cracker boy! Hospital not too scary for you then, man?"

Link put his hand on Seaweed's shoulder and squeezed, before smiling widely.

"Nah, I managed…"

Tracy, having almost put Seaweed back into his coma with a crushing embrace, tapped Link on the shoulder and gestured that they should leave the room, managing to be about as subtle as a kick to the nuts.

Maybelle smiled as she realised what Tracy was trying to do.

"It's ok honey, you don't have to go."

"No, Maybelle, really. We'll give you some time alone. Seaweed … I am _so_ glad you're ok … see you later guys!"

With that they shuffled out of the room and began a search for the cafeteria and some strong coffee.

Meanwhile, Maybelle herself had sidled out of the room to leave Penny, who hadn't even noticed, gazing at Seaweed as though she couldn't even believe what had been happening.

"Baby, you're scaring me now! What, have I got something on my face?"

Although Seaweed was evidently already ok with joking about what had happened, Penny wasn't quite there yet. Her face remained anxious as she continued to look into his eyes.

"Seaweed…honey… you can't just shake off what's happened. Baby, I was so scared for you. I thought you were going to die. I wish I was strong like you but … I guess I'm just … not."

She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"Ow!"

"Oops. Sorry … tangled wire."

After several minutes of trying to extricate Penny's hair from his drip, Seaweed smiled, took her face in his hands and kissed her so gently that she barely felt it at all, aside from the swooping feeling that it sent through her stomach. Eventually, she knew she had to break away, because there was something she really needed to say no matter how much it would pain her.

"Seaweed…Maybe I should stop seeing you."

The look of hurt on Seaweed's face was even greater than it had been last night after the attack.

"Penny, but what-"

"Baby, if you weren't with me, those guys would have left you alone. I can't put you in that kind of danger again, I just can't!" She paused. "I love you too much."

He wiped away a lone tear which had escaped from the corner of her eye.

"Penny, I love you too. But it's crazy that we should put ourselves through losing each other just because of some jerks who can't handle it! Penny … will you marry me?"

She was suddenly yanked out of her tearful reverie by those last four words, which she wasn't quite sure that she'd heard correctly.

"You want me to … you want me to what?!"

"Penny, I don't ever want to be split from you again. I know we'll have to wait a while, but I've been thinking that it just seems like the right thing to do. And I also know we're young, too young to get married _yet_ but I just can't think-"

"Yes."

"What?"

"Yes, let's do it. Seaweed J. Stubbs, I will marry you. Today, tomorrow, whenever – I'd do it in a heartbeat!"

He answered her with a glowing smile and a firmly passionate kiss, just as Maybelle Tracy and Link burst in through the door.

"Congratulations you guys!" Tracy yelped.

The happy couple looked bewildered.

"But wait, how did you …?"

Link shuffled on the spot looking uncomfortable, but Maybelle answered the question unashamedly.

"We were listening outside the door, of course! My baby's getting engaged!"

**A/N Hey guys, sorry this has taken so long I just haven't really been in a Hairspray kind of mood this week (most likely because it coincides with the first week back at school, what with personal statements and university applications etc etc)………. Anyway, hope you enjoy, and I should be able to post some more this weekend. Please review if you get the chance, I absolutely love hearing what you've got to say – and please, if you have suggestions feel completely free to just throw them out there. I want to make the story as good as I can for you guys xoxo**


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